Lighting attachment for refrigerator display cases



c. V. HILL LIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR REFRIGERATOR DISPLAY CASES 7 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 3, 1931 March 1, 1932.

w-wgl w JY ATTORNEY March 1, 1932.- 1,847,562

LIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR REFRIGERATOR DIsPLAYbAs s c v. HILL Filed April 3, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ENTOR C. V. HILL LIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR REFRIGERATOR DISPLAY CASES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 3, 1931 r 4 INVENTCR QRNEY cases.

PatentedMar. 1, 1932 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLEMENT V. HILL, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOE TO 0. V. HILL k 00., INC 01 'I .BENTON, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPOBATION'OF NEW JERSEY LIGHTING ATTACHMENT non nrrrnmnnaroa mm. casns Application 'filed' April 3, 1981. Serial No. 527,586.

This invention relates to illuminating means for showcases, and particularliy to a lighting attachment for refrigerator isplay of customers and store attendants, or with the storage of products within the case, but which, nevertheless, will be readily accessible from the interior of the case throu h the usual door for renewals, repairs or t e removal of burned out bulbs and the substitution of new bulbs therefor whenever required.v I

A further object of the invention is to provide a lighting attachment of unitary type, which may bemade in sections of any convenient length, and each including a framework carrying the sockets, wiring and all component parts, which may be inserted and secured in position in a ready and simple manner and let down within theicase, whereby application and removal of the units and repairsand renewalof parts will be greatly facilitated and time and labor saved. 1

A still further object of the invention is to provide means allowing ready removal of the globes for cleaning of the same and of the ulbs and renewal of the latter when ne'cessar y and to. provide .a construction of parts whereby the heat from the lamps will be carried ofi and radiation of heat to the walls orinterior of the showcase will be prevented. The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to. the accoinpanying drawings, in which looking toward the front thereof, and show ing the same partially in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, with parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 3 is .a vertical front-to-rear section through the upper portion of the display case, taken on the line of one of the lamps. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking toward the underside of the to of the case. p

ig. '5 is a perspective view, part1 in section, of one of the units removed om the display case.

Fig. 6 .is a detail section through the top andshield plates. 1

- Fig. 7 is a view of the holding ring.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the globe. Fig. 9 is a sectional view thereof.'

Referring now more particularly to the drawings 1 designates a refrigerator display case of that type provided with a refrigerating and display compartment 2 havingits front wall comprising or including a transparent glass panel 3 and its rear wall com- ,70

' which panel and doors the interior of the comprising or including glass doors 4, through partment maybe viewed and throughwhich doors access to the compartment may be ob-.

tained. Within the compartment may be pro vided refrigerating means of any of the types in common use; The doors 4 in some cases, or when desired, may be of solid "opaque construction, i. e., without glass panes. Y

The walls 3 and 4, in the preferred form of the invention, as shown, slope convergently toward the top 5 of the showcase, but this converging relationship is not essential. The top 5, in accordance with my invention, however, is of special construction and comprises front and rear frame members 6- and 7 arranged to provide a longitudinal space,'slo't,

channel or recess 8 between them.

. Mounted within the space, channel or recess. 8 isan illuminating device or attachment comprising one or more units 9. Each of these units comprises a frame structure formed of a baseboard or base plate 10 carrying a longitudinally extending lamp box 11. This lamp box or housing 11 is preferably made of galvanized sheet metaland of inverted U shape or channeled form and proa vided at the lower edges of its sidewalls with flanges 12 for. passage of fastenings whereby the box or housing is secured to the baseboard.

At suitable points the baseboard 10 is provided with openings 13, and above each opening the top wall of the lamp box or housing supports an outlet box, junction box or socket 14, to receive and support an incandescent lamp 15, the bulb portion of which lamp projects downwardly through the opening 13 in the baseboard. Each unit 9 may be conveniently of from four to eight or more feet in length, and each may carry a suitable number and arrangement of lamps, together with all necessary wiring for connecting the lamps with each other and with a suitable source of supply of current, the construction being such that each unit is adapted to be detachably fitted in position in the space, channel or recess 8 and removed therefrom.

The lower edges of the frame members (3 and 7 are provided'with abutment or stop surfaces 16, and the baseboard 10 is provided with correspondingly shaped longitudinal stop surfaces or edges 17 engaging the same. Throu h these portions 17 extend screws or other f astenings 18 which enter the members 6 and 7 and detachably fasten the entire unit 9 including such baseboard to the frame members, the baseboard thus forming a closure for the bottom of the recess 8 and an apertured partition between the same and the compartment 2. The construction and arrangement is such that each unit may be in troduced through a doorway at the rear of the case and lifted into position within the space 8 and secured therein by means of the fastening screws 18 and, when desired, by simply unfastening the screws, each unit may be lowered from the recess and allowed to rest upon the bottom of the compartment 2. In this position all parts of the unit will be conveniently accessible for repairs, replacements, or wiring or other changes. It is not necessary, however, to lower the units for the purpose of inserting the lamps 15 or substituting new lamps for burned out lamps, as the lamps when in operative position may be readily and conveniently reached from the exterior through the open doors 4,

and all the exposed surfaces of the units.

within the case may be similarly reached for cleaning or other similar purposes.

The light from the lamps shines down into the case to make the products contained in the compartment 2 clearly visible" through the panel 3 and doors 1. The underside 19 of the baseboard 10 may be provided with a reflecting surface, if desired. The downwardly projecting portion of each lampbulb is covered by and enclosed in ,a double-walled glass globe comprising inner and outer globe members 20 and 21, properly disposed to provide an insulating or dead air space between them to prevent radiation of heat from the lamp into the show case. The inner globe member 20 is provided with a flange 22 which rests upon a seat or ledge-.23 on the globe member 21, which latter is provided with an outwardly extending flange 24 having a cut-away portion, notch or recess 24 therein. The globe is adapted to be secured in position by a holding ring 25 applied to the undersurface of the baseboard 10 about and concentrically with the lamp opening 13 therein. This holder is provided at diametrically opposite sides with retaining lugs 26 and 27 for engagement under the flange 2-1 to hold'the double globe in position. In fitting the globe in position the assembled globe members are arranged one within the other and disposed so as to bring the flange 24 under the lug 26 and the notch 24 in registry with the lug 27, whereupon by partly rotating the globe to move the notch out of registry with the notch 27 the globe will be supported in position by the lugs. To gain access to the lamp it is simply necessary to insert the hand through one of the doors 4 and to grasp the bottom globe section and give it a part revolution to bring the notch 24 into registry with the lug 27, whereupon the globe members may be removed asa unit for cleaning and to give access to the lamp for cleaning, replacement. or other purposes.

A cushion 2% of felt or other material may be disposed between the flange 24 and board 10 to clamp the globe more firmly in position and prevent rattling.

The lamp box 11 not only forms a housing for the outlet boxes or sockets and portions of the lamps and the wiring, but also provides a longitudinal main air circulating channel through which air may flow to keep the box and other parts of the light fixture cool. In the top wall of the box are openings 28 also serving as ventilation openings and as passages for the wiring when necessary. The sides of the box, as shown, are spaced from the members 6 and 7 to provide outer longitudinal channels 29 between the same, and the top of the box lies at .a level below the top surface of the members 6 and 7 to provide a top air channel 30 which communicates with the main air channel formed within the box through the openings 28 and also with the side channels 29, so that an effective circulation of air is ensured and a proper spacing provided between the lamp attachment and surfaces of the case to prevent transmission of heat to the latter.

In order to ensure that there shall be no transmission of heat to the surface of the top 5, a special construction of top surface is provided. This comprises a top plate, slab or other element 31 secured in position with an underlying spacing or shield plate 32 by means of fastening screws 83. Between the plates 31 and 32 and between the plate 32 and the members 6 and 7 are disposed suitable dis tance pieces 34, holding them properly spaced apart to provide an air passage 35 between the plates 31 and 32 and air passages 36 be tween the plate 32 and upper surfaces of the members 6 and 7, said, passages leading laterally from the top of the channel or recess 8.

By this construction and arrangement of edges, lying in spaced relation to the outer faces of the members 6 and 7, to provide deflectors to cause the heated currents of air to flow down and away from customers and others-standing adjacent to such portions of s the show .case.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the construetion and arrangement of my novel and improved lighting attachment for showcaseswill be readily understood, and it will be seen that the invention provides a lighting attachment-which is arranged within the upper portion of the case itself so asrto throw the light therefrom directly down into the compart- .ment 2 without interfering with the storage of goods in such compartment, and that the lighting attachment thusarranged is substantially concealed from view and arranged to illuminate the interior of the case to the best advantage, while at the same time disposing the lighting elements at a point where they are not in the way of customers or attendants, or give an unsightly appearance to the case, and are protected in a secure manner from liability of injury. Also it will be seen that the construction described adapts the units to,

be readily applied in position for use and lowered into the case for removal or for the purpose of making changes in the wiring, repairs and replacements, which may becarried out in a ready and convenient manner. The construction described also secures economy in useas well as in construction and installation, as the fixtures, being mainly concealed,- may be of less costly character than outside fixtures without in any manner decreasing their operating efficiency.

9 While the construction disclosed is preferred,.it will of course be understood that changes in the form, construction and arrangementof parts may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, .1 claim V 1. In a lighting attachment for show cases, a showcase having its top provided with alougitudinally extending recess disposed above a refrigerating compartment of the showcase therebelow, aclosure for the bottom of the recess forming a partition between the recess and compartment and having an opendispla ing therein, and illuminating means fitted in said recess. and extending through said open 1 ing into said compartment.

cases, a display case having a top provided with a longitudinally extending recess, and a unitary lamp fixture fitted in said recess and adapted to be applied thereto andremoved therefrom from the interior of the case, said fixture comprising a closure member detachably fitted in position to close the bottom of 2. In a lighting attachment for display 3 the recess, said closure member having an opening therein, a lamp box carried by said closure member and extending therefrom up- 'wardly into the recess, andca lamp mounted in said lamp box and having a bulb portion projecting downwardly throughthe opening in the closure member. 1

3. In a lighting means for display cases, a displa case having a display compartment provi ed with transparent panels in its front and back walls and a longitudinally extending slot in its top, a lighting unit disposed in said slot and comprising a baseboard detachably secured in position beneath and closing the bottom of the slot, a lamp box carried by the board and extending upwardly into the slot "and having its sides spaced from the sides of the slot and its upper wall terminating below the surface of the top and provided with ventilating apertures, and illuminating means in thebox for lighting the interior of the case, a cover plate above the slot, anda shield plate disposed in parallel relation to said cover "plate and the lamp box'and in a horizontal plane between said cover plate and the surface of the top and in spaced relation thereto to provide ventilation passages therebetween. l

4. In a lighting means for display c'ases,-a case having a display compartment provi ed with transparent panels in its front and back walls and a longitudinally extending slot in its top, a lighting unit disposed in said slot and comprising a baseboard detachably secured in position,'a lainp box carried by the board and having its sides spaced from thesidesof the top and its upper wall disposed below the surface of the top and provided with ventilating; apertures, lamps mounted in the box and projecting downward through openings in the bottom board, and globes enclosing the depending portions of the lamps and closing said openings in the bottom board. A

5. In a lighting attachment for display C cases, a display case having a display compartment and provided with a recess in its top, a base plate disposed beneath'and closing the bottom of the recess, said plate having openings therein, alamp box carried by the base plate and disposed in said recess, lamps carried by the lamp box and projecting downward through the openings in the base plate, the said lamp box and lamps being insertible and withdrawable as a unit with the base plate through said compartments, a top plate Covering the recess and spaced above the top of the case to form ventilating passages for the escape of warm air, and a shield plate'between I the recess and top plate and disposed in spaced and parallel relation to the latter.

(3. In a lighting means for display cases, a display case having a display compartment provided with transparent panels in its front and back Walls and a longitudinally extending slot in its top, a lighting unit disposed in said slot and comprising a baseboard detachably secured in position, a lamp box carried by the board and projecting upwardly into the slot and having its sides spaced from the sides of the slot and its upper Wall disposed below the surface of the top and provided with ventilating apertures, and lamps mounted in the box and projecting downward through openings in the baseboard.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 5

CLEMENT V. HILL. 

